Global sales of cell phones with 5G technology surpassed those of 4G handsets in January for the first time, driven by the Chinese market, the expansion of next-generation networks and competitive prices. Writes the EFE agency quoted by Noticias ao Minuto.

The agency, which cites data published by consulting firm Counterpoint Research, notes that 5G devices reached a market penetration of 51% in January 2022, surpassing that of 4G cell phones for the first time.

By geographic area, the main growth drivers were China, Western Europe, and North America.

In the case of China, the country led sales in January 2022, with a 5G cell phone sales percentage of 84%, while in Western Europe and North America it stood at 76% and 73%, respectively.

Counterpoint concludes that sales of 5G devices in North America and Western Europe were boosted by the October 2020 launch of Apple's first 5G device, the iPhone 12 series, causing sales to gradually increase.

On the other hand, the consultancy highlights that the next areas of expansion of this technology will be Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Latin America, where 4G still predominates, but the penetration of 5G should increase thanks to the introduction of new models priced below 140 euros.

The consultancy's data also indicates that the increase in 5G phones on the market has also been driven by the proliferation of competitively priced devices, as the introduction of 'chips' from MediaTek and Qualcomm have allowed the cost to fall into a range between €140 and €230.

5G cell phones priced between €140 and €230 accounted for 25% of total mobile sales with this feature in January 2022.

Counterpoint further details that global cell phone sales will increase 4% in 2021, surpassing 1,390 million units.